Construction projects generate complex financial records—job costing, subcontractor payments, retention schedules, variation orders. When disputes arise months or years later, you need complete records. Boxkite automatically backs up your Xero data to Dropbox, so you always have the evidence you need.
Construction accounting is uniquely complex. A single project might involve dozens of subcontractors, hundreds of purchase orders, multiple stage payments, retention holdbacks, and variation orders that change the scope mid-build. All of this needs to be tracked accurately—not just for your own profitability, but because disputes are common and can emerge years after a project completes.
When a subcontractor claims non-payment, when a client disputes a final account, or when HMRC enquires about your CIS returns, you need to produce detailed records. "It was in Xero" isn't good enough if someone deleted the data, miscoded transactions, or the records were lost during a software change. You need an independent backup that preserves your complete financial history.
Construction also has unique compliance requirements. CIS returns require detailed subcontractor payment records. Retention calculations depend on original contract values. Defects liability periods mean you might need project records for years after practical completion. Xero doesn't automatically preserve historical snapshots—that's what Boxkite provides.
These scenarios happen regularly in construction. Long project timelines and complex stakeholder relationships mean disputes can emerge years after the work is done.
A subcontractor claims they weren't paid for work completed 18 months ago on a finished project. Your project manager has left, and the job file is archived. Without backup records showing the original invoices, payment certificates, and bank transactions, you could end up paying twice—or facing legal action.
You're calculating final retention releases for a completed project, but someone deleted the original contract invoices thinking the job was done. Now you can't verify what retention was held or what's due for release. With Boxkite, you'd have the complete billing history.
HMRC opens an enquiry into your CIS returns from two years ago. You need to show subcontractor verification records, payment details, and deduction calculations. If someone archived or deleted this data, you're facing penalties. Boxkite backups contain your complete CIS history.
A client disputes your final account, claiming you've overcharged on variations. You need to show the original quote, every variation order, and how costs were calculated. If your project manager miscoded expenses or data was lost, you can't defend your billing.
Unlike retail or service businesses where transactions are largely complete when money changes hands, construction projects have long tails. Retention is held for 12 months or more after practical completion. Defects liability periods extend responsibility. Final accounts can be disputed years later.
This means you need access to detailed project records long after the job is "done." Who approved that variation? What was the original contract value? When was retention due for release? If your Xero data has been modified, archived, or lost, you're in trouble.
Construction businesses face specific compliance requirements that demand meticulous record-keeping. CIS returns, VAT reverse charge, retention accounting—all require you to maintain detailed records that can be produced on demand, sometimes years after the original transaction.
Every invoice, payment, and transaction is automatically saved to your Dropbox. No manual exports to remember, no gaps in your records.
Job-coded invoices, subcontractor payments, variation orders—everything tagged to a project is preserved in your backup for as long as you need it.
Combined with Dropbox's version history, you can see exactly what your data looked like at any point—essential for resolving disputes years after project completion.
All your subcontractor payment records, deductions, and CIS data is backed up. Ready for HMRC enquiries whenever they arise.
These are the tools construction businesses commonly connect to Xero. When data from these systems reaches Xero, Boxkite captures it in your backup:
Boxkite backs up data stored in Xero, including transactions synced from job management and project costing software.
Don't wait for a dispute or HMRC enquiry to discover your records are incomplete. Start protecting your Xero data today with a free trial.
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